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Friday, December 12, 2014

Starting a graphic design business this past year felt like a huge risk. It came with a big learning curve and buckets full of grace. But it was a passion I wanted to pursue and boy am I glad I did. I've made so many incredible connections, learned a TON about design work, experienced what it was like to be my own boss (love that part), and dove into the world of creative business owners.

The startup of all this shenanigans was a bit, well, thrown together as I was creating a web portfolio over the weekend for one potential client and rush-shipping some cheap business cards to pass out at meetings I didn't think I belonged at. It was so intimidating and exciting and all the other feelings you can conjure up. Despite all of that, I knew that I loved this kind of work. It was something worth working at. And I could do from home while getting to raise our children and feel incredible fulfillment in that way too.

So over the past year, I've figured out that helping others pursue their passions was really my heart in design. Business branding was a way that I get to do that -- defining vision, color, style, font, platform, voice...all that good stuff, for those who are taking risks and starting up businesses...that's my favorite. Business branding and social media mentorship really sets a solid cornerstone for a business just starting out or one that needs a facelift and it's so worth doing well.

Since this is the heart of my business and what I'd love to pursue this upcoming year, I decided to give my own business a little facelift. After all, one who does branding should have a pretty good one herself, right?

Come January, I am so excited to launch the new face of my design business. New name, new look, more intentional services and some fun surprises on the side. I'll be mainly focusing on business branding, but also doing all kinds of graphic design, some web design, and partnering with other creative business owners who want a little hand up with the whole social media thing. I'm pretty darn pumped to start all this up, baby in tow, and walk into the new year well. Stay tuned!

Thursday, December 4, 2014

I keep thinking back to the day I found out this little girl was growing inside of me. This tiny, new, precious person that would soon become such a huge part of our lives. The two of us ladies went to Target that day, listened to music in the car, went to the printers...it was my little secret for those few hours. Jeremy and I went out to celebrate that night with some kiddie cocktails and pretty much started at each other in complete shock about how much our lives were about to change. It was a whole new beginning.

40 weeks has finally come after one major move, the beginning and end of a temp job, more than a few plane trips, a semester of seminary, and continual preparation for the upcoming year. She's a whole person in there and I'm feeling it. My whole mind and body feels it. Her room is set, the car seat is sitting in the living room like it belongs there, Christmas decorations are up, house is clean...we. are. ready. But you know what the funny thing is about due dates? No one actually has a baby on that day. Okay, maybe like 5%. I'm putting a vote in for a "due week" instead to avoid the inevitable feeling of failure of not having managed to WILL the baby out yet. Like that's even possible.

But nonetheless, here we are, full-on whale status. I am so thankful to have been able to experience what it's like to grow a human; to be such an intimate part of the creating another life. I know that some women can only dream of what that feels like and I always want to be humbled by that and reminded that this is one of the most precious gifts I'll ever experience in this life. This week I find myself in constant limbo of soaking in all the moments and doing everything I can to get. her. out.

Any and all distraction and labor inducing technique ideas are welcome this way! Let's do this, baby girl.